Kids train with the Western Bulldogs at Dacland pop-up clinic

An enthusiastic group of 45 kids from junior footy teams in Melbourne’s west took to the field at Whitten Oval to sharpen their skills with the help of Western Bulldogs players at Dacland’s pop-up clinic on 21 July 2016.

Dacland regularly partners with the Western Bulldogs to promote healthy active lifestyles in the region.

The pop-up clinic, a first for the Dacland/Bulldogs partnership, catered for nine and ten-year-old players selected by four local clubs in the Wyndham area. It was nearly booked out in days with Point Cook fielding a number of teams and a bus coming from Lara, north of Geelong.

As a 2016 sponsor, Dacland has actively supported the Dahlhaus Clubhouse kids’ footy clinics attended by around 1000 young Bulldogs members in April and July. Another initiative that’s seen great results this year is the Whitten Project, a leadership development programme for young people in the west.

Dacland Managing Director John C Dwyer said the pop-up clinic was another way to inspire kids to keep active. “It’s important to balance our busy lifestyles with plenty of healthy outdoor activity. At Dacland we make it our priority to create beautiful outdoor recreational areas where people really love to be. This includes designing inviting streetscapes that encourage kids and adults to get out and about together, and ensuring our streets are as pedestrian and cyclist friendly as possible. To further support healthy lifestyles for residents in our communities, we work with the Western Bulldogs and local community groups in their efforts to build strong and healthy communities,” John said.

Jake Stringer was one of three Bulldogs players attending the clinic and said he liked working with local junior footballers. “These clinics are a great opportunity for players to work with the community and give back to our junior supporters who show us so much support throughout the year,” Jake said.